Altria Group Inc vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Altria Group Inc trades at $71.42 (market cap $119.25B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $480.27 (market cap $68.83B). The key difference: Altria Group Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Altria Group Inc pays the higher dividend (6.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Altria Group Inc for 154 Days and Northrop Grumman Corporation for 81 Days on average.
| MO | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $119.25B | $68.83B |
Volume | 11,178,169 | 1,081,989 |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Industrials |
52-Week High | $74.92 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $54.72 | $473.46 |
Typical Hold Time | 154 Days | 81 Days |
Enterprise Value | $141.46B | $82.81B |
Dividend Yield | 6.22% | 2.04% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Altria Group (MO) trades at $69.39, up 1.22% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The stock shows strong profitability with a 39% net income margin and a 6.6% dividend yield, though recent earnings have been mixed with two misses in the last four quarters. Cash flow improved in 2025 with net cash flow of $1.33 billion, but the balance sheet carries negative equity of -$2.24 billion due to high liabilities.
The outlook is balanced: analyst consensus is bullish with a $69.71 price target, but risks include regulatory pressures on tobacco, declining margins, and high debt. The dividend appears sustainable from cash flow, yet negative equity and business shrinkage pose long-term concerns for income-focused investors.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $473.46, down 2.0% on the day, reflecting a bearish technical signal amid recent contract loss news. The stock exhibits strong fundamentals with a P/E of 15.05, net income margin of 10.48%, and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Revenue growth is steady, supported by a record backlog, though the loss of the $20 billion Navy F/A-XX contract to Boeing introduces competitive pressure.
The outlook remains supported by robust defense budgets and key programs like the B-21 bomber, but investor sentiment is cautious near-term. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $600.62 price target, though technical indicators suggest potential near-term weakness. Risks include contract dependencies and macroeconomic shifts in defense spending.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Latest headlines on both assets
Altria comprises Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, Helix Innovations, and Philip Morris Capital, although the company plans to wind down Philip Morris Capital by the end of 2022. It holds a 10% interest in the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev. Through its tobacco subsidiaries, Altria holds the leading position in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States and the number-two spot in machine-made cigars. The company's Marlboro brand is the leading cigarette brand in the U.S. with a 43% share in 2020. Altria holds strategic investments in JUUL Labs (35% economic interest) and Cronos (42%).
Read more on MO →Northrop Grumman is a defense contractor that is diversified across short-cycle and long-cycle businesses. The firm's segments include aeronautics, mission systems, defense services, and space systems. The company's aerospace segment creates the fuselage for the massive F-35 program and produces various piloted and autonomous flight systems. Mission systems creates a variety of sensors and processors for defense hardware. The defense systems segment is a long-range missile manufacturer. Finally, the company's space systems segment produces various space structures, sensors, and satellites.
Read more on NOC →